Storm vs Aces Preview: Wilson in Top Form, Storm’s Dual Core Absence Adds to Their Woes

On September 18, the WNBA continues with a crucial matchup between the Storm and the Aces, which is pivotal for the fourth and fifth seed positioning.

The Storm are 24-14, ranking 5th in the league, averaging 83.4 points per game and conceding 78.8 points per game, with a home record of 14 wins and 5 losses.

The Aces are 25-13, ranking 4th in the league, averaging 86.1 points per game and conceding 81.1 points per game, with an away record of 13 wins and 6 losses.

In their last game, the Aces defeated the Sun 84-71, securing their third consecutive win, and have won 8 out of their last 10 games.

In the game against the Sun, Aces’ core player Wilson contributed 29 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks, Plum added 14 points, Jackie Young had 13 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists, while Gray scored 9 points.

This season, one of the Aces’ main players, Gray, has not been performing well, averaging only 8.5 points and 4.9 assists per game, leaving the offensive burden on the other three players. Among them, Wilson averages 27 points, 12 rebounds, 2.6 blocks, 2.3 assists, and 1.8 steals per game, making her a strong contender for MVP. Plum averages 17.7 points and 4.5 assists per game, while Jackie Young averages 15.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game.

The Storm secured a four-game winning streak after defeating the Sparks 90-87 in their last game, with a record of 6 wins and 4 losses in their last 10 games, showing an upward trend in form.

In the game against the Sparks, Loyd and Magbegor were both absent due to injuries. Four players from the Storm scored in double digits, with Ogwumike contributing 23 points and 7 rebounds, Williams scoring 22 points with 6 rebounds and 4 steals, Diggins adding 19 points and 6 assists, and Huston scoring 16 points.

In terms of season statistics, the Storm’s offense mainly relies on Loyd, who averages 19.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.4 steals per game as a guard for the US women’s national team. Diggins averages 15.1 points and 6.4 assists per game, Ogwumike averages 16.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.9 steals per game, Magbegor averages 11.7 points, 8 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game, Williams averages 10 points per game, and Huston averages 7.1 points per game.

The two teams have already met three times this season, with the Storm losing two out of those three games.

Currently, both teams are competing for the fourth seed in the regular season standings. However, the absence of two key players, Loyd and Magbegor, will make it even more challenging for the Storm, who are trailing in the standings, especially since the Aces have a full roster ready to play.

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